Tobias Sylvester
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has disowned the ‘fake bishops’ who attended the unveiling of former governor of Borno state, Kashim Shettima as the running mate of Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
CAN Disowns Bishops At Tinubu-Shettima’s Unveiling
During the unveiling of Shettima in Abuja on Wednesday, some people were spotted dressed in Catholic Bishop outfits, which tends to lend some validation to the choice of the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the APC.
Reacting to the development, the Vice President of CAN (19 Northern States and Abuja) and its chairman in Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, disowned the Bishops, describing them as desperados who were on a self-seeking expedition.
The religious body added that those men spotted in religious garbs were mechanics and other artisans allegedly hired and sewn clerical garments by the APC Presidential candidate.
CAN said the move was the latest plot by Tinubu to hoodwink Nigerian Christians into accepting the Muslim-Muslim ticket, but insisted the efforts would not change the need for justice and fairness.
Hayab said, “The people we saw at the unveiling of Shettima paraded as Bishops are people who did not have enough time to learn how to wear Bishop garments. Take a closer look at their photo and you will see another Nollywood movie.
“CAN wonders why the desperation. First, a story was out claiming to have come from the Chairman of CAN Borno state only to be refuted.
“Secondly, there was another lie that BAT (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) and his running mate were on their way to meet CAN President one night.
“A meeting that was not true and was on a night that the CAN President was in Alabama USA attending the Baptist World Alliance Conference of which he is the Vice President.
“Another desperation story was that they met Papa Adeboye which the RCCG later refuted. If Christians are not important why the desperation?
“BAT is free to hire mechanics and other artisans and sew clerical garments for them. An effort that will only add to their many ropes when the political exercise is over but will not change the need for fairness and justice that CAN is calling for.
“CAN appreciate that we are in a democracy, no need to do funny and dubious things just to prove a point because it will in the end bounce back. BAT team should simply do what is right and stop the drama.”
Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the President of CAN, Samson Ayokunle, also challenged the APC to mention the names of the bishop who attended the unveiling.
He said, “Let them name the CAN officials at the programme and their offices. If they could use 2017 photos to claim that some Pastors visited Shettima and lied that Pastor E. A Adeboye has endorsed them, they could do anything.
“Our position on Muslim-Muslim ticket is irreversible. Anybody can claim anything but one thing is clear, CAN was not part of the unveiling programme of Shettima.”
Tinubu and the APC have been accused by some prominent Nigerians and religious advocates of being insensitive to the religious diversity of the country by presenting a single faith ticket for the February 2023 presidential election.
A few days ago Kashim Shettima reacted to the outrage trailing the Muslim-Muslim ticket, saying Nigerians should look beyond religion when electing leaders, adding that there is no plan by Bola Tinubu to Islamise the country.
